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A dream about Del.
2:48pm 22/08/2005
On the night of Wed, August 25th, I had a dream about Del Close.
Del is a very well known Improv teacher, Performer and Director, here in Chicago. He used to do traveling circus style shows, and then was hired to perform at The Compass in St. Louis. He directed and was fired and rehired and fired and rehired at Second City. Eventually, he made his way to IO and helped to give it a large part of the strong reputation that it enjoys today.
I never met him. He passed away in the fall of 1999. About a year before I moved to Chicago. I was a subscriber to The Reader at the time. So, I got the issue that detailed his death and recounted his life. Sitting in that kitchen, back in Kentucky, I knew that I'd missed something pretty big, when he passed away.
I really admire the man. Despite his physical addictions, which sometimes steal the focus, when people are talking about him, he was a very willful person. He had some ideas about the potential of Improvisational Theater, that he wasn't willing to compromise. I respect that. I wish we all could practice that same sort of tenacity. Whatever drove him, i wish could drive us a little bit too.
Did I mention that he also wrote comics in the 80's?
Anyways, I had no contact with the man. I can't claim any sort of understanding of who he was, except for the stories that I read and overhear. I feel sort of like a "pretender" for posting this story below. I think this sort of reverence should be reserved for the people who knew him better than I. But I REALLY did have that dream and I posted and captured as much of it as possible, in a thread on CIN. I am afraid that CIN will be purged some time in the future and what I wrote will be lost. So, I am reprinting it below.
I hope you enjoy it. And if you don't, have the good sense to not tell me.
Cheers,
Mr.B
08-22-05
Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 9:43 am
Post subject: I dreamt about Del last night.
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Before I begin this, be forewarned that I am going to detail and discuss a dream that I actually had last night. If you are one of those people who is bored to tears with that type of thing, stop reading right now. Move on to another thread, you'll be happy that you did.
That said, I had a dream about Del last night.
I dreamt that there was a show being performed at a theatre, somewhere near wherever I was in my dream. I knew that friends of mine were in the show, but not what the show was about. In my dream, my friend (specifically John Laflamboy, for those who know him) asked me to come to the show. He was really proud of it and wanted me to come see it.
I resisted for reasons that I can't explain.
Until it was show time and I decided at the last minute to go to the show. And as these things happen, in dreams, I was dressed and outside the theatre, without having to actual experience those things.
The theatre, in this dream, was the first theatre that I worked in, during college. It was an old vaudeville house and in my dreams, it is the place I think of, when I think of a theatre.
So, I went in and the house was full of people and some anonymous usher, said that my seat was ready for me, up front. I followed her to it, crouching down, so as not to disturb the other patrons. The house was dark, except for the lights on the performer and a table with a light, which we were heading towards.
There, seated at the lit table, was Del Close. A younger Del, probably 30 - 40 years ago, pre-beard, with his glasses on and his hair neatly cut. He was wearing a nice suit and was smoking a cigarette and watching the show, clearly enjoying himself. I was seated next to him. Which was exciting and a little scary, all at the same time.
You see, I never met Del. He died a year before I came to Chicago. I read about it in the Reader, which I subscribed to a year or so before I moved up here. Just to get a feel for my new home. So, I have no idea what he sounded like or looked like or moved like, in actual life. This Del, in my dream, was a close facsimile of what I think he would've looked and acted like, based upon pictured I've seen of him in various books and newspaper articles.
And he was okay with me being there, seated next to him. He ordered a drink for us, what it was, I can't remember. But it was nice of him, to take care of me. And pointed my attention to the stage.
There, Abby Sher was doing a monologue, as some gangly character, all elbows and flailing arms, seated right in front of the first row. She grabbed a guy on the front row and mock berated him about something. She was playing a crabby character of some kind.
"You know, she's doing an impression of me, " Del said and he elbowed me, to let me in on the joke.
Abby finished her set and got lots of applause. When it was done, she thanked Del, briefly and sincerely and surrendered the stage to an Improv troupe of some sort. It occurred to me, that I was at a Roast, in Del's benefit. It was for him and I was at his table with him.
Del clapped and catcalled, very pleased.
In the upcoming Improv troupe, Ed O Rourke played. I saw Ray Mees and Ed Illades up there too and a couple other folks. I had a hard time hearing them, but judging from the audience’s reaction, they were doing some really funny stuff. Which Del loved. He laughed out loud, big, honest guffaws and genuine chuckles. Occasionally, something would be too funny and he would grab my arm and punch me. Which made me laugh, in the dream too.
It was genuinely nice to be included in the event. I didn't want the show to end.
But it did. Suddenly, the whole cast took the stage and did a big dance number together. They had their costumes on and everything was covered in sequins. So it was very shiny. I remember very clearly seeing the sequined reflections flashing on the walls of the theatre. The cast did a kick line (a funny one) and sang something to Del, to the tune of "Hello Dolly." The lights came up on the stage and there was a big finish and the crowd stood up and applauded wildly.
No one was happier than Del. He stood up and clapped his hardest and whistled at the cast and cheered for them. He was bursting with pride.
Things became less cohesive at this point of the dream for me. I remember people coming up to Del and congratulating him. Cast members too. Sweaty from the show and still with their sequined costumes on, they hugged Del and clapped him on the back. People were glad to see him.
I knew that I wanted to talk to him. Actually talk to him about something, while I had this rare chance. Something important, but I couldn't get to him, because of the crowd around him.
So, I let it go. And just watched him, be adored by friends and fans.
I found myself sitting in the house of this theatre, watching a janitor type sweep the stage. Everyone was gone. I was still in my nice suit, seated in the center of the house, alone. Everyone else was gone.
And Del came over and sat next to me.
Cocktail in hand, cigarette hanging absently from his lips, he sat down next to me, exhausted from the whole affair.
I will now try to recount the brief conversation that we had and try not to infer my human interpretation onto it. I'll try to let it stand for what it actually was.
"That was a great show." I said.
"Yes, yes it was. Those kids were working their hearts out, up there."
"Yep, it was really something." I replied. "You know, there was something I wanted to ask you. Something important..."
"Well, what is it?" he said, he took a drink from his tumbler.
"I can't remember it anymore. I've lost it." I admitted. It was frustrating. I felt like I was losing an opportunity.
"Eh, it happens. Don't sweat it."
We sat in silence for a while, watching the janitor slowly sweep.
"You know what, I almost didn't come to the show tonight. I almost stayed home." I admitted.
"I'm glad you came out." he said.
"So am I."
"Just think, if you'd stayed home, you would've missed all this." and he motioned to mean the whole show.
"Yeah, that would've been too bad."
"Did you remember what you wanted to ask me?" he asked.
"Nope. Still gone. Seemed important at the time. But it's gone now."
"Oh well. Say, I've got to be going now. I promised some of the kids I would go out and get a drink with them. You want to come?" he stood up, preparing to leave.
"No, I think I will stay here. Or go home. I've had enough for one evening."
"Suit yourself. Thanks for coming out to my show tonight."
"Thanks for letting me sit with you for a while." I said.
He smiled, tossed back the rest of his drink and handed the tumbler to me to dispose of it, for him. He flicked the ashes from the cigarette and if there was a pithy quote that he could've made, to give me a lesson to take into the waking world, THIS would’ve been when he would've done it.
Instead, he smiled at me, waved goodbye and walked away, up the aisle.
"Goodnight, Del."
"G'night, Biddle."
And he left...
That's it. The whole dream. As much as I can remember now. I think there was more to the show, but I've lost those details. I also have written down as much of the conversation as I remember, it wasn't very long.
I heard once, from Charna, that Del dabbled into some weird stuff, in his later years. When I woke up, I was thinking about that. Did he ever really tap into something mystical, in his explorations? Would it be possible for him to visit people in their dreams, after he'd passed? Could that have been more than a dream?
I can't say. And really don't need to.
I had a really nice dream last night. And someone that I admire was in it and he treated me with kindness and respect and it doesn't have to mean any more than that. It doesn't have to be epic or life changing. It could just have been a good dream. Which started my day off, on the right foot. And it doesn't have to be more than that, to still be something of value.
Anyways, I had a dream about Del last night. For those who knew him, it looks like he is doing well, wherever he is. You'll be pleased to know that.
Take it for what it's worth.
Mr.B out...
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